I guess I'm in the "get to cover" camp. I'm not saying there's no situation where I would intervene to help someone out, but my primary concern is being able to protect my wife and kids. I carry a gun to protect my family - nothing more, nothing less, and I absolutely see using it as a last resort.

If we're out in public and shots are fired I'd grab the kids and run away. If we can't, the plan would be to get between the guns and the kids and hope all the training pays off.
If I was out alone, things might be different, but as those of you with small kids can probably attest, I'm never alone. Trips in to town are far too exciting for them to not ask to come, and time with my kids is too precious for me to say no.

Same goes at home - my first concern in the case of a break in would be to make sure everyone's safe, then call the police (~1/2hr response time for the inept sheriffs deputy, and close to an hour for the state police out here), then I'd probably try to pry the dogs off whatever poor soul decided to ignore the barking and break in anyway.

If someone else was hurt because I was busy protecting my family I wouldn't have to "live with myself"; I'd be living with my children.

I'm certainly aware that lots of you out there feel very differently about your role, but I'm okay with that. So how 'bout I try not to consider you guys "trigger-happy", or "cocksure", and you not consider me "selfish" or "untrained". We all walk our own path.

I couldn’t agree with you more...

AS head of family our duty is to them first and foremost, and to those that are placed in our care at the time. Seek cover/defendable position, find exit take it.

However expecting my gun to be the last resort is not for me, my
Sub-conscious mind will tend to make that choice for me. Some refer to it as instinct, or muscle memory.

I'd like to add..

The biggest enemy for the untrained and even the "trained" is the flood of adrenal stress hormones. The primary tool to help you get through it is to make yourself properly breath.. Oxygen and proper respiration calms the mind and body. And if your wounded it will help you cope and help prolong your survival as you await EMS.

Furthermore...

You need to become aggressive and you need to project it forward from you, it provides an edge and can instantly turn the initiative of the battle to your favor.

Lastly..

As many have said in this thread.. You owe it to your family and self to have ample trigger time at the range. Training is battle winning. Seek it out, and work at it on your own.

On static targets you need to be keeping them inside the 9/10ring or you’re not doing it right.

We are trained to shoot COM. but I challenge you to also learn to hit high upon the thoracic tree straight up the chin and to the brain pan. This is in case he has a vest on.

Another area you should be targeting is the groin.. In case he has a vest, the head is covered and he is lacking a groin plate. Shoot a bad guy in his junk it will avert his attention, allowing you follow up more stopping shots. A groin shot is very traumatizing. You have 2 major arteries, 2 ball sockets, the pelvic ring, a coccyx and yards of intestines to strike.